ELIL vs SPY
Direxion Daily LLY Bull 2X ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ELIL or SPY?
Trading-Leveraged Equity against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. ELIL led over 1Y, SPY over the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | ELIL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.07% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $18M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 11.26% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 9 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -0.67% | +13.78%Best |
| 1Y Return | +101.75%Best | +21.44% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.38% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.80% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 72.0% | 11.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -55.8% | -12.7%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.4 years | $13,617 | $13,667Best |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Trading-Leveraged Equity | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 26, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 26, 2025 to Sep 3, 2026 (1.4 years).
ELIL vs SPY growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.4 years both funds cover.
ELIL vs SPY Performance
Direxion Daily LLY Bull 2X ETF (ELIL) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ELIL returned +101.75% while SPY returned +21.44%. Year to date, ELIL is down 0.67% versus a gain of 13.78% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ELIL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 72.0% compared with 11.9% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -55.8% for ELIL and -12.7% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.05. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ELIL charges 1.07% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $107 vs $9 annually, a gap of $98 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ELIL currently yields 11.26% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 1.3% of SPY's money is in holdings ELIL also owns.
Stated as a floor: for ELIL, our book for it covers 79.4% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
SPY and ELIL share little of their money.
1 positions in common, counted across the 4 positions we hold weights for in ELIL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 9 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in ELIL | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 15.57% | 1.33% | 14.24% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of ELIL and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ELIL or SPY?
ELIL has an expense ratio of 1.07% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $98 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ELIL or SPY?
Over the past year ELIL returned +101.75% vs +21.44% for SPY, so ELIL leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), ELIL annualized +24.67% vs +25.00% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ELIL or SPY?
ELIL has been the more volatile fund at 72.0% annualized versus 11.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: ELIL -55.8% vs SPY -12.7%.
Should I hold both ELIL and SPY?
ELIL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.05, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between ELIL and SPY?
At least 1.3% of SPY's money is in holdings ELIL also owns. Our book for ELIL is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 4 positions we hold weights for in ELIL and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ELIL or SPY?
ELIL yields 11.26% while SPY yields 1.01%, so ELIL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ELIL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. ELIL led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.